MICROBIAL PRODUCTION OF LIPASE:

lipase catalyses the hydrolysis of dietary fats like triglycerides into fatty acids and glycerol.

Source: lipase is produced by bacteria like Pseudomonas aexuginosa as well as by fungi like Aspergillus flavus, A.niger etc.

Types of fermentation: solid state fermentation and submerged fermentation. However, solid state fermentation is frequently used.

Production parameters:
A. Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Composition of production medium:

Component.                     Percent
Yeast extract.                     0.3
Peptone.                            0.1
Olive oil.                              1
K2HPO4.                          0.07
KH2PO4.                          0.03
MgSO4.                            0.05
MnCl2.                             0.01
(NH4)2SO4.                    0.025
CaCl2.                               0.01

Optimum pH for production is 7.2 using 0.5N NaOH.
Optimum temperature is 35 C with constant shaking at 125 rpm.
Fermentation period: 72 hours.

Downstream processing:
⦁ Culture medium is centrifuged at 10,000 rpm at 4C for 20 minutes.
⦁ Centrifugation is followed by salt precipitation method
⦁ Purification is done by column chromatography method.

(B) For fungal sources:

Table

Downstream processing:
⦁ To extract this enzyme, substrate is homogenized or mixed in a rotary shaker with one of the solvents including water, NaCl, (NH4)2SO4 and NaCl with Triton X-100.
⦁ The mixture is then filtered using a muslin cloth and the filtrate is centrifuged at 5000 rpm for 20 minutes around 4 C.
⦁ Above steps are followed by concentration of the filtrate using salt precipitation and finally purification of the enzyme by column chromatography.

APPLICATIONS:
⦁ In the detergent industry, lipases remove oil stain from fabrics by hydrolysis of fats.
⦁ In the food industry, lipases play an important role in flavor improvement, aroma quality improvement. Transestrification, fat removal, shelf- life prolongation.
⦁ In the paper and pulp industry, lipases improve the paper quality and improve pulp strengthening.
⦁ In the leather industry, lipases are involved in softening, quality improvement in the process of tanning.
⦁ In the chemical Industry, lipases play an important role in transestrification, hydrolysis, synthesis, enantioselectivity and thus involved in cosmetics as well as digestive aids production.
⦁ In medical field, lipases can be used to diagnose acute pancreatitis. Lipase can assist in fat breakdown into lipids in those undergoing pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy.